by C. A. Taylor
GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE (BRIENNE OF TARTH): What’s great about working with Alex Graves is that he gives you permission to go as far as you want to. There was this moment when Brienne is delivering a volley of punches to the Hound’s face, and she just keeps going until she drives him over the cliff. We’d discussed at length the different ways that we could approach it—would it be silent or vocal, general or personal, mechanical or clinical? In the end, we did three versions of the final push. It actually became quite an upsetting sequence. It became about some of the feelings she might be having in that moment, feelings that I identify with, but she is the one who walks away from it.
Two gladiators battle for supremacy.
RORY MCCANN (SANDOR CLEGANE): Looking back over all the seasons, if I’m honest, this fight scene would be my favorite. I’ve had other action scenes where knew I was in a “moment,” but they were just so uncomfortable to film, be it the heat in the cave or some other element. To be in the environment in Iceland and in that unbelievably special location—I really just wanted to stay.
Danaerys surveys a freshly conquered Slaver’s Bay.
PART SEVEN
becoming a queen
* * *
“I will do what queens do. I will rule.”
—Daenerys Targaryen
Under the desert sun in Essos, Daenerys Targaryen continues to make her way toward her ultimate goal, the Iron Throne. But first, she is determined to build an army by conquering the three main cities on Slaver’s Bay: Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen. At Astapor, Dany defeats the Good Masters and brings the Unsullied warriors under her command. At Yunkai, Dany gathers the support of the Second Sons and their new leader, Daario Naharis, and with them, she successfully overthrows the Wise Masters and incites a slave revolt. Now Daenerys faces her greatest challenge yet, to battle the Great Masters for control of the legendary and sprawling city of Meereen to the north.
SLAVER’S BAY: A BRIEF HISTORY
Dory jim kotas tebagho jiva derve, sombazi. Lu ji ebat, jimi sydlivas zer mazmagho. [“No one can give you your freedom, brother. If you want it, you must take it.”]
—Grey Worm
A map of Slaver’s Bay.
around five thousand years before the war known as Robert’s Rebellion, the ancient city of Ghis was the capital of the sprawling and powerful Ghiscari Empire on the continent of Essos. Founded by Grazdan the Great, the rich lands were protected by a seemingly undefeatable legion with a fearsome reputation. Then, over a succession of wars, the Valyrian Freehold and its all-powerful dragons laid waste to the Ghiscari Empire. Ghis, on the shores of the Gulf of Grief, was reduced to rubble, the buildings burnt to cinders by the dragons and the once-fertile fields sown with salt, sulfur, and skulls.
After the fall of Valyria, the scattered remains of the Ghiscari people rebuilt the three great cities of Slaver’s Bay: Yunkai, Astapor, and Meereen. Fulfilling its name, the region still depends on the riches brought in by the massive slave trade, which is overseen by masters in each city. Little of the great civilization of Ghiscari has survived into the present, yet one element remains: the sigil of the harpy. This fantastical creature with a woman’s torso, clawed wings, the legs of an eagle, and a twisted scorpion tail appears in all the cities of Slaver’s Bay, a symbolic reminder of the region’s glorious past.
— creating meereen —
“Every city you’ve conquered could sit within her walls, and still leave room for more. They say a thousand slaves died building the Great Pyramid of Meereen.”
—Missandei
The Great Pyramid in Meereen towers over the city, a slaver’s harpy perched on top.
* * *
For Daenerys, the most formidable obstacle to conquering Slaver’s Bay is the massive city of Meereen, whose walls could hold the people of Yunkai and Astapor combined. Rising high above the city is the Great Pyramid, built by slaves centuries before. Also of note is the Temple of Graces. One of many temples that fill the city, its singular size and great golden dome form yet another symbol of the city’s wealth.
After Daenerys successfully wins the city and crucifies the Great Masters, she takes up residence in the penthouse at the top of the Great Pyramid. Claiming her first throne, she holds court in the audience chamber, beginning her transition to becoming a ruler.
When it came to creating the city of Meereen itself, the greatest challenge for the art department was the scale of the interior sets. Designing Meereen was one of the first tasks for the new production designer, Deb Riley, who took over from Gemma Jackson when she left the show at the end of season three.
* * *
GEORGE R. R. MARTIN (CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND AUTHOR): When it comes to influences, I avoid looking at a single historical reference or person to create something like Slaver’s Bay. There are certainly elements from the Babylonian and Mesopotamian societies of ancient times. There are Carthaginian and ancient Persian factors. And of course, there is a good deal of purely imaginative creation. The trick is to blend them all together to construct a world that is entirely your own.
DEB RILEY (PRODUCTION DESIGNER): I felt very lucky to walk into the world that Gemma Jackson had created. It gave me a lot of confidence. When it came to the new worlds, it was a case of establishing contrasts. If King’s Landing was increasingly about opulence, Meereen was about monolithic structures and austere but intimidating impressions through exotic and rich designs. It was wonderful to be able to work on a world that had not been seen before.
BRYAN COGMAN (CO-PRODUCER AND WRITER): Deb Riley’s designs for Meereen in particular really stand out as wildly different from anything we’d seen on the show. Dany’s audience chamber in the Great Pyramid is so grand and beautifully textured—audiences will absolutely think it’s some palace we found in Croatia, but no. It’s a soundstage in Belfast!
DEB RILEY (PRODUCTION DESIGNER): The wonderful thing about the audience hall was being able to build a heavy set. The plasterers took such pride in their elements; you walk into that room, and there is a resonance and headiness to it. It almost seems to hum when you step in. David and Dan were very keen to be clear that it was within a pyramid, which allowed us to bring in the slanted ceiling. Clearly, the pyramid was far bigger, which is why only one wall is on an angle and why in Dany’s penthouse there is the pinnacle shape.
TOM MARTIN (CONSTRUCTION MANAGER): The audience hall was a huge set with a thirty-six-foot-high ceiling. The walls themselves were clad in many types of different relief panels, each one handmade with individual textures and paint finishes to indicate the different stages of aging. Surrounding the main staircase we built in a low-level pool to catch the light and reflect the carved motifs on the sides of the stairs. The detailing in the room is immense; on the floor there are hundreds of individually modeled tiles, each hand-painted. Behind the throne, the wall is covered in tiny mosaic tiles that have been highlighted with gold and bronze, numbering in the thousands.
The penthouse realized.
DEB RILEY (PRODUCTION DESIGNER): Usually, when there is the presence of a pyramid, the mind goes to Egypt. What was wonderful about this season was being able to bring in more in terms of texture, and Meereen was the perfect opportunity to do it. When you look at the architecture of the Mayans and the step pyramids, you see a tremendous amount of sculpture and iconography that has softened but remains beautiful. As a slave city, Meereen could have created these buildings on a huge scale. It was interesting to imagine the sort of skilled artisan that would have been available to create these newly textured elements.
TOM MARTIN (CONSTRUCTION MANAGER): In terms of the crew, the penthouse seemed to be one of the most popular sets of the series. I think that has to do with the finishes being so tactile and beautiful. Imagining the heat of the desert, Deb and her team designed intricate air vents that would allow the building to cool, each appearing to be carved out of the stonework. Pivotal to the design of the space was the inclusion of the revolving wooden screens that could be opened to create dif
ferent areas. Sandwiched between each of the frames was real silk, creating a staggering effect when light was diffused through the fabric. The ceiling was finished with reclaimed timber panels radiating out from the center and supported by massive timber beams, while the floor was made up of huge handmade and hand-painted flagstones, each one distressed to reflect the age of the building.
NATHALIE EMMANUEL (MISSANDEI): We walk into these complete sets, dressed in these beautiful costumes, and when you look at the work, the hundreds of tiny elements, you can’t help but be in the moment. Our senses are already absorbing everything we are surrounded by, and it makes it seem almost natural to be standing in this world.
Daenerys has a difficult decision to make.
Daenerys claims her first real throne in Meereen.
DAARIO NAHARIS
“I only have two talents in this world: war and women.”
—Daario Naharis
Born the bastard son of a whore, Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman) grew into an exceptional and fearless fighter, rising to become a lieutenant for the mercenary Second Sons. Daario first meets Daenerys outside the walls of Yunkai while accompanying Captains Mero and Prendahl na Ghezn as they consider Daenerys’s offer: to fight for her and abandon their contract to defend Yunkai for the Wise Masters. Later, the captains, certain of victory, decide to assassinate Daenerys, but Daario is too enchanted by Daenerys’s beauty to allow this. Instead, he kills the captains and returns to Daenerys, presenting her with the captains’ heads as a mark of his loyalty and with the army of the Second Sons to help her conquer Yunkai.
At Meereen, Daario offers himself for one-on-one combat with the Meereen champion. When he defeats the champion in spectacular fashion, Daario delivers the allegiance of the city’s slaves, which leads to a revolt that allows Daenerys to capture Meereen. Despite the reservations of her advisors, Daenerys finds herself drawn to the new leader of the Second Sons, and they soon become lovers.
MICHIEL HUISMAN (DAARIO NAHARIS): It’s a dream role. Playing a character who is so tough, but with a little bit of fun—and a little bit of swagger. He’s a self-made man. He wasn’t born into a knighthood. He isn’t a royal. He’s built himself up from nothing—these are great characteristics to play around with. He’s very self-assured and unapologetic about it. I think it adds to his appeal.
EMILIA CLARKE (DAENERYS TARGARYEN): In my mind, Dany will never love anyone the way she loved Khal Drogo, but she is becoming a different person. Taking control of her newfound womanhood comes with its own wants and desires. I think she’s testing out her confidence on Daario; in a way, he’s a bit of a plaything. Above all, she’s learning to be a leader, a commander, a queen, and then a woman—in that order. She is always thinking with multiple roles in mind. While she enjoys Daario, he is ultimately one of her soldiers. She needs to be able to put him in the most strategic position for her needs. She’s also a woman, and she doesn’t have the freedom a male ruler would to sow his seed. She knows she can’t be invested in anything other than her babies [the dragons] and her mission, especially with someone who doesn’t care about the rules at all.
MICHIEL HUISMAN (DAARIO NAHARIS): When it comes to his relationship with Dany, it’s clear he’s attracted by her beauty, but he lives for two things: the fight and women. He sees her as the ultimate woman because she has beauty and this underlying strength. She also has a vulnerability—she really cares for the people—and he recognizes that he doesn’t really have that himself. He sees that, by being close to her, he can grow. While he is aware of Jorah’s feelings and respects him, he ultimately wants to be with Dany, so that’s what he’s going to do. This creates a conflict that doesn’t happen with Grey Worm—I think Daario is trying to push Grey Worm the way an older brother would, to try and bring him out from his shell.
Daario takes on the champion of Meereen.
GREY WORM
“‘Grey Worm’ gives me pride. It is a lucky name. The name this one was born with was cursed. That was the name he had when he was taken as a slave. But Grey Worm is the name this one had the day Daenerys Stormborn set him free.”
—Grey Worm
Jacob Anderson portrays the captain of the Unsullied.
Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) is the democratically elected captain of the Unsullied army. He was chosen for this role after the defeat of the Good Masters in Astapor. He has no recollection of family or of life before becoming an Unsullied soldier, which is likely due to the young age at which he was taken into training. Fiercely loyal to Daenerys and her cause to free all slaves, Grey Worm has proven himself to be a strong military strategist and a valuable asset to Daenerys in her campaigns. He is learning to trust his instincts as he gains confidence in himself. Initially only able to speak Low Valyrian, Grey Worm has begun to learn the common tongue under Missandei’s patient guidance.
JACOB ANDERSON (GREY WORM): Initially, I was confused about how much of his humanity could come out. Dan said something incredibly useful early on—that I should think of Grey Worm as walking trauma. I think of him as human somewhere in that, but with layers so thick that it’s hard to see. I wanted to have tiny moments where you can see it. That’s been the hardest thing, working with the directors and David and Dan to figure out when that can happen and how much can come out. He’s never been anything. He’s never been anyone. Then suddenly this angel appears and says, “Be something different, if you choose to.” The idea of choice is completely alien.
EMILIA CLARKE (DAENERYS TARGARYEN): By asking the Unsullied to vote for their leader, Dany gained an immediate sense of trust in Grey Worm’s abilities. I think she looked him in the eye and saw his integrity. She saw someone that she could, perhaps not trust, but rely on to act on her orders when required and be merciful when needed.
MISSANDEI
Pindas sko ji yn tebila, va me rudhy. Pindas sko gomila kizi sir. [“She asks that you give me to her, as a present. She asks that you do this now.”]
—Missandei
Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) was a slave in the service of the Good Master known as Kraznys mo Nakloz when she caught Daenerys’s attention in the slave markets of Astapor. Taken from her home in Naath when she was very young, Missandei remembers little of her life before servitude, but she has managed to become a gifted translator with knowledge of nineteen languages. Given to Daenerys at the young khaleesi’s request, Missandei becomes as close to a confidante and friend as Daenerys will allow.
Nathalie Emmanuel portrays Missandei, handmaiden to Daenerys.
NATHALIE EMMANUEL (MISSANDEI): As season four goes on, we are getting to see more of Missandei as a person, rather than a thing or a slave. She’s becoming a human with feelings and you see more of her depth of character and her talent. The way she has been written makes you feel deeply for her; it’s so sweet and sad. Being able to play with that as an actress is very exciting, to be able to see her as her own person rather than speaking only other people’s words. The fact that Dany asks her things makes her words important. I think Daenerys is her first friend; she’s being allowed to be who she is. On the other hand, growing up a slave means she will always be quite self-contained. She’s been conditioned to be that way, and she’s slow to trust.
EMILIA CLARKE (DAENERYS TARGARYEN): There is a complication between men and women that doesn’t exist here. Dany has never had any sort of maternal influence, anything nurturing ever. There is something about the relationship between Missandei and Dany that can only ever happen between two women. Dany wants to trust her; she even asks her to always be there when she says, “Don’t betray me.” Her journey really began with the desire to save a woman being violated; she saw herself within that situation. In some ways Missandei is her constant reminder that there will always be another woman. There is always more good to do in the world.
NATHALIE EMMANUEL (MISSANDEI): We don’t really know a huge amount about Missandei’s history, but you can assume that she would have been used for other things than translations by men—beaten and
abused. She definitely has a mistrust of men, so a straightforward relationship with a woman where that isn’t an issue is completely new to her.
BARRISTAN SELMY
“I’ve been searching for you, Daenerys Stormborn. To beg your forgiveness. I was sworn to protect your family. I failed them. I am Barristan Selmy, Kingsguard to your father. Allow me to join your Queensguard, and I will not fail you again.”
—Barristan Selmy
Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) remains one of the greatest living knights in Westerosi history. He served as a member of the Kingsguard for Aerys Targaryen, and he remained loyal to House Targaryen throughout Robert’s Rebellion. However, because of the tremendous respect Ser Barristan had earned through his service, he was pardoned when Robert Baratheon come to power. Ser Barristan served Robert faithfully as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and after Robert’s death, he retained his position under King Joffrey. That is, until Joffrey declared Barristan unfit for service due to old age. Mocked by the court, disgusted by the behavior of Cersei and Joffrey, and insulted that Jaime Lannister would replace him, Barristan traveled to Astapor in search of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), his new queen. After saving Daenerys from a manticore—part of an assassination attempt by the Warlocks of Qarth—Ser Barristan pledges to serve her in her Queensguard.